Straight from the Scullery

Friday, May 30, 2014

May 30, 1806

Remember the scandal of Seamus, the Irish Setter, during the last presidential election? And Mitt Romney having to defend himself by declaring "My dog likes fresh air?" The whole incident (whether you were appalled at the dog riding on the roof or appalled that anyone was making an issue of it) gives cause to question whether or not some of our nation's early elected presidents would survive today's media.

Andrew Jackson, our nation's 7th president (and first Democratic president), is remembered for many reasons. He joined the local militia at age 13 and moved on from there. With little education, he became a country lawyer in Tennessee. He was appointed to the Tennessee Supreme Court while maintaining multiple careers. Jackson served as major general of the Tennessee militia and is well known for his service against the British in the War of 1812, particularly for his victory during the Battle of New Orleans.

Friday, May 23, 2014

May 23, 1774

During the mid-1700's, tensions were running high between the British and Americans. In London, Parliament had issued a whole new set of taxes (called the The Townshend Acts) on goods that were bound for American shores. Things like molasses, paper, paint, glass, and tea could not be unloaded from the ships without a significant amount of money in return.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

May 21, 1804

Lewis and Clark set out from St. Charles, Missouri as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, sent by President Thomas Jefferson to establish an American presence in the newly acquired territory of the Louisiana Purchase. Captain Lewis and his crew were to find a route to the Pacific Ocean on their journey, and were tasked with creating maps of the country along the way.